1966 Fijian general election

26 September–8 October 1966
All 36 seats in the Legislative Council 18 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader Kamisese Mara A. D. Patel Party Alliance Federation Party Seats won 23 9 Popular vote 214,872 113,310 Percentage 51.94% 27.39%
Elected Chief Minister Kamisese Mara Alliance

Politics of Fiji
Constitution History
Executive President (list) Wiliame Katonivere Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka Cabinet Attorney-General Siromi Turaga Leader of the Opposition Frank Bainimarama
Legislative Parliament Speaker: Naiqama Lalabalavu
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Former and informal Monarchy Governor Governor-General Chief Minister Executive Council House of Representatives Constituencies Open Communal National Legislative Council Great Council of Chiefs Chairman Senate Vice-President
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General elections were held in Fiji between 26 September and 8 October 1966,^[1] the last before independence in 1970 and the first held under universal suffrage.^[2] The result was a victory for the Alliance Party, which won 23 of the 34 elected seats. Its leader Kamisese Mara became the country's first Chief Minister the following year.

Background

A constitutional conference was held in London in 1965, which resulted in the Legislative Council being reorganised to consist of 36 seats; 14 for Fijians and other Pacific Islanders (two of which were nominated by the Great Council of Chiefs), 12 for Indo-Fijians and 10 for all other ethnic groups.^[2] The total number of registered voters was 156,683; 75,768 Indo-Fijians, 74,575 Fijians and 6,340 General electors.^[1]

Members of the Legislative Council were elected from two types of constituencies; communal and cross-voting, with voters being able to cast four votes each. Each voter cast a single vote in one of the 25 communal constituencies, in which they could only vote for a candidate of their own ethnicity. In the three three-seat cross-voting constituencies, voters voted for a candidate from each of the three ethnic groups.^[2]

Campaign

For the first time, the elections were a largely partisan event, dominated by the Fijian Alliance Party and the Indo-Fijian Federation Party.^[2] A total of 79 candidates contested the elections, three of which were women.^[3]

Results

Aftermath

Following the elections, the two independents joined the Alliance Party.^[2] A new government was formed with Kamisese Mara as Leader of Government Business.^[4] The Executive Council consisted of six elected members and four civil servants.^[5]

At the first meeting of the Legislative Council on 11 November, Ronald Kermode was elected Speaker unopposed, with James Madhavan elected Deputy Speaker.^[6]

Full ministerial government was introduced on 1 September 1967. On the same day, the Federation Party MLCs walked out of the Legislative Council.^[7] After they missed three meetings, the nine Indo-Fijian communal seats were declared vacant and a series of by-elections held in 1968.

See also

• List of members of the Parliament of Fiji (1966–1972)

References